Comté: Profiles in Flavor

Comté is an alpine cheese produced in the Jura mountain range of France. After our first opportunity to taste this great cheese with French affineur Marcel Petite, we brought in not one, but three ages of Comté so we could demonstrate the remarkable flavor development that occurs over time. Since that fateful first visit, we’ve gone on to establish the most complete collection of Marcel Petite Comté in the country, with cheeses ranging in age from 8 months to 36 months.

Comté Trois Sapins Our youngest selection at about 8 months. This is our go-to for a classic fondue.

Comté Les GrangesAged about 12 months, these wheels are top picks for their classic Comté flavors of hay, leeks and walnuts. A good choice for snacking or for an amazing grilled cheese sandwich.

Comté Fort Saint-Antoine The standard-bearer of Marcel Petite quality and the first Comté to really open our eyes. Our most recent batch, aged just over a year, offer flavors of alpine flowers, white chocolate and cashew nut.

Comté Grand Cru We receive only five of these special wheels each year. They are aged for 30 months and offer bold flavors of dried figs and caramelized onions.

Comté Extra Grand Cru Only a small selection of Comté is allowed to age as long as the Extra Grand Cru. These cheeses are tested as they age to determine if they will continue to develop as the affineur hopes. When they reach their peak of flavor, they are rationed out to specific cheese shops in limited quantities. This year, we will have only two wheels available. Even though that’s 140 lbs of cheese, it disappears quickly! We hope you have a chance to taste the magnificent complexity of this cheese with one of your holiday meals.